Today's News

Can a new study help put county residents back to work?
County Council hopes a $20,000 workforce study it approved in September will help find new ways to decrease unemployment in the county. Greenville-based marketing research and workforce development agency 10-x presented an outline of the study to several members of County Council during an economic development committee meeting on Monday night.

You can enjoy the Elgin Volunteer Fire Department’s tasty barbecue today and Saturday.
But members of the department, the community helpers who assist with the barbecue and some current and past Lancaster County officials got a taste of it at a special event Thursday.
The event wasn’t just a preview of coming attractions – it was a celebration of an accomplishment of the Elgin department and those volunteers who make its twice-yearly barbecue possible.

One by one they filed to the front of the room as the large crowd burst into applause.
The long line of men, mostly chiefs decked out in their best dress uniforms, represented the county’s 19 fire departments in a special ceremony by County Council on Tuesday night.
After the county hosted the S.C. Fire Chiefs Association conference in October at the University of South Carolina at Lancaster, as well as recent coverage of each fire department in The Lancaster News, council wanted to recognize the volunteers for all they do.

A historic building that has made headlines in recent months is now depicted on a shiny holiday fixture.
The old Lancaster jail on Gay Street is featured on the 2010 Lancaster Christmas Ornament. Each year, one of the county’s historic places is featured on a ornament. The series began in 2000.
Jimola Wade, marketing coordinator for See Lancaster SC, unveiled the newest ornament Tuesday evening at the Springs House.
“I think we’ve got a great ornament this year,” she said. “It’ll make a wonderful Christmas present.”

The recent retirement of Will Brice’s No. 10 jersey at the University of Virginia drew a host of local folks, family and friends, to the special occasion at halftime of the Cavaliers’ ACC clash with the University of Miami.
Much like news of Will’s honor, that came as no surprise. When I first heard of the honor, some folks, who were unable to attend in body, I know were there in spirit.
Those three special folks are Will’s father, the late Laurie Brice, and his maternal grandparents, Brown and Sue Wylie.

Police are looking for suspects in an early Sunday morning shooting that left two Lancaster women wounded.
Officers came to Springs Memorial Hospital after receiving a call from the hospital staff about the two gunshot victims, according to a Lancaster Police Department incident report.
The shooting is believed to have taken place between 1 and 1:45 a.m. Sunday.
Officers said one of the victims, age 20, evaded their questions. She could not remember details and changed her stories, the report said.

Lancaster pharmacy owner Hugh Mobley became the first person to officially throw his hat into the ring for the District 16 state Senate seat on Tuesday.
Mobley, a pharmacist and owner of Mobley Drugs, said he will run for the seat, which will be vacant after Republican Mick Mulvaney of Indian Land assumes his duties in the U.S. Congress. Mulvaney bested Democratic incumbent John Spratt of York for the 5th District congressional seat in last week’s midterm elections. Spratt has held the seat since 1983.

After a surge of interest in the newly reorganized farmer’s market, the county has given the organization additional funding.
County Council is providing an additional $3,000 for the farmers market. The money will be used to buy new furniture and for various renovations at the market.
Councilman Jack Estridge said this is the time to address the needs of the vendors and the community.

No arrests have been made in an armed robbery that took place shortly after 9 p.m. Saturday outside an 11th Street home.
A 59-year-old woman said she pulled into her driveway, opened her car door and started to pet her cat when she looked up and noticed a man standing there, according to a Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office incident report.
The woman told deputies that the man pointed a handgun at her and demanded all of her money.
The assailant took $300, the report said.